Hydraulic counterweight



Dec. 11, 1951 R. L. ARCHBOLD HYDRAULIC COUNTERWEIGHT 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Aug. 18, 1950 INVENTOR. RALPH L. ARCHBOLD yaw A 7 TOR/V5 Y 13% 1951 R. L. ARCHBOLD HYDRAULIC COUNTERWEIGHT Filed Aug. 18, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. RALPH L. ARCHBOLD ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

Apex Electrical- Manufacturing Company,

Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 18, 1950, Serial No. 180,279

5 Claims.

Thlsinvention relates tocounterbalance means;

for wobbling bodies, and more particularly to counterbalance means. of this type wherein the counterbalance effect can be automatically varied in response to varying conditions of the wobbling body.

' The invention has particular application to a washing machine of the type more fully illustrated and described in a. copending application of Gerald I. Cockerill, et al., Serial No. 64,108, filed December 81, 1948 and entitled, "Drive Mechanism for Washing Machines and the Like. In said copendin-g application, adrive mechanism is disclosed wherein aclothes container is connected to a. vertical drive shaft by a universal joint disposed generally centrally of the container. The universal joint permits the container to be supported with its axis at. a slight angle, such as 4; from vertical. A second coaxial shaft has a hearing. which engages. the container, fixed thereto with its. axis inclined at the same. angle from the vertical, whereby as a. drive shaft is. held against rotation and the coaxial shaft is rotated, the container has a rotary progressive wob..- bling action imparted thereto. The wobbling action is relatively rapid, since the coaxial shaft rotatesat about 550R. P. M. and this action agi-. tates. clothes and water disposed in the containerto. clean the clothes.

' One side of the container is moving up while under one condition and under-correcting under;

another: onditi n.

' Accord n to the inve t on. n. rm. is. fix d-to. the coaxial shaft having a pocket for receiving; liquid. A valve automatically admits watertothe; pocket in accordance with the tilting tendency until this tendency is corrected.

Itv is a. primary object, of the invention to automatically counterbalance the tilting tendency caused by a clothes container or the like wobbling at; relatively high speed and subjected; to vari able-load conditions.

I-JAnQther objectof theinvention is to minimize vibration l ra washingmachine or the like; haw.

2. ing a wobble-type clothes. container subjected" to varying load conditions.

' Other objects of the invention and the invene tionitself" will become increasingly apparent. from i a consideration of the following description and drawingsv wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary sectional view of a washing machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a. preferred form of hydraulic counterweigl'itv which I may 10103;

Figure 3 is a left end' elevational view of the counterweight shown in Fig. 2.; and

Figure 4 is a right end elevational view of the counterweight illustrated in Fig. 2.

Figure 5: is a section taken along line;5i-- -5"of' Figure 3'.

Referring now to. the drawings, and particu larly to Fig. l, I have illustrated a washingmas chine havinga clothes container 10' which is en:

erally circular in cross section and is. mounted with its; axis inclined at an angle such as 4fro1jn vertical. The container is connected by a shortstub shaft (not shown) to a universal joint I l which is alsov connected to a drive shaft I 2. Theshaftv l2; through a clutch and brake arrange ment, is adapted to be. rotated for spinning the container to extract water from clothes disposed therein or to be held against rotation. A tubu lar coaxial shaft l3 has a bearing housing l i fixed to the upper end thereof within which isv seated a roller bearing It which causes the stub shaft to move in. a conical path about theuniversal joint as a center when, shaft I3. is rotated toimpartawobbling action to. container Iii. The; parts so far described, includingthe drive mechanism, are shown in detail in the aforesaid co-' pending application.

A double walled pedestal I7 is rigidly secured to, a frame, [8,. including four legs and levelling pins. for supporting the Washing machine on a. floor orthe like- The pedestal H has a cup hap d portion, in. he. upper. end ther of; ithin which. is. mpu-n e j a bul r valve. member.- [8

, formed of' rubber or the like. A cooperating metal,

exten ing. to a ater main r t e. l ke,v wherebr water under pressure will be, available at; the valve elements or in a pocket 23 formed between the. v lv elements l9. snail... The-cont iner wo bles at such a speed that the portion of the container base which is moving downwardly at any time exceeds the acceleration of gravity and temporarily forms a cavity beneath the load of water and clothes and the opposite portion of the container base which is moving upwardly slaps the load of water and clothes and imposes a down thrust on the high side of the container. In other words, referring to Fig. l, and assuming the container contains a load of water and clothes and that the machine is operating in the washing portion of the cycle, then the container will have a down thrust on the right hand portion of the base, due to the resistance of the load as this portion of the base moves upwardly. This thrust is transmitted back through the stub shaft and the roller bearing to housing I4 and tends to twist housing I 4 in a clockwise direction. This imparts a lateral thrust towards the left at the zone of the universal joint. Accordingly, tubular shaft I3 is moved slightly to the left and a generally segment shaped opening is formed between the valve members I9 and 2| at the right hand side or at the high side of the container, permitting water to flow from the valve. The center of this opening is substantially in radial alignment with the high'side of the container and remains so as the high side progressively changes angular positions as the container wobbles. In effect, the wobbling action results in a lateral thrust in a direction diametrically opposite the high side of the container which is concentrated substantially at the universal joint. It will be apparent that, if this thrust was of constant value, it could be compensated for by a lateral pull of equal value acting towards the high side of the container substantially at the universal joint. Due to practical design limitations, the counterbalancing pull cannot be concentrated at the universal joint in the washing machine illustrated, and a couple is introduced acting on shaft I3 which is compensated for in a manner to be described. Referring now to Figures 2 to 4 inclusive, the counterbalancin means will be described. A pair of generally T-shaped members 24 and 26 are sealingly joined along their peripheral edges in any suitable manner to provide a pocket 2'! and a relatively short conduit 28. This conduit is seated within a sleeve 29 extending laterally from the vertical arm 3I of the catcher element generally indicated at 32. The catcher element is formed with a top flange 33 adapted to be telescoped over tubular shaft I3 and be secured to the shaft and bearing housing I4 in any suitable manner, as by projecting bolts through holes 34 to threadedly engage the housing. The flange 33 of catcher element 32 has a depending arcuate wall 36 which terminates at one end in a flat wall 31. Extending from the bottom edge of wall 31 is an inturned lip 38 which extends horizontally for a distance along depending wall 36 and then curves downwardly to merge with a vertical lip formed on arm 3I. The lip is continued along arm 3|, being curved at the base and extending upwardly along the opposite side of the arm to flange 33. This forms a flanged pocket which is offset with respect to conduit 28, the pocket extending along depending wall 36 through approximately 90. Flange 33 has a thickened portion indicated at 39 which acts as a counterbalancing mass. Arm 3| has a rela tively small port 4| therein, effecting communication with conduit 28.

- The hydraulic: counterweight, illustrated in Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive, is mounted on shaft I3 so that conduit 28 is in radial alignment with the high side of the container and the center of the pocket formed in flange 33 will have about 45 lag relative to conduit 28. A drain hole 42 is provided in the bottom of T member 26 and a relatively small hole 43 is formed in T member 24 for a purpose to be described.

The operation of the hydraulic counterweight will now be explained. When it is desired to use the washing machine, a load of clothes will be disposed in container I0 and water will be supplied thereto. Shaft I2 will be held against rotation which will resultantly hold the container against rotation. Tubular shaft I3 will be rotated at approximately 550 R. P. M. causing the container to wobble at this speed. Also, water under city line pressure will be available at the valve comprising the elements I9 and 2|. As previously explained, an opening will be formed at the high side of the container between valve elements I9 and 2I due to the wobbling action of the container and the load therein. The hydraulic counterweight rotates in phase with the high side of the container and water issuing from the valve will be caught in the pocket formed in flange 33, and due to centrifugal force will travel down arm 3 I, through port M and through conduit 28 to be received in the pocket 21 formed between T members 24 and 26. It will be noted that the center of the pocket formed by flange 33 has a 45 lag with conduit 28 or with the segment shaped opening between valve members I9 and H. This is to compensate for the time required to deliver water from the valve and it was found by experiment that in this interval the hydraulic counterweight rotated through approximately 45. The water tends to form in a vertical wall at the outer zone of this pocket and water will continue to flow into the pocket until sufficient counterbalance is achieved to permit shaft E3 to coincide with its true vertical axis and thereby close the valve or the segment shaped opening between the valve members I9 and 2I. At the completion of the washing portion of the cycle, shaft I3 is held against rotation and shaft I2 is rotated to spin the container and extract water from the clothes by centrifugal force through perforations indicated at 44. Inasmuch as it is undesirable to again start the washing action with water in the hydraulic counterweight, the drain hole 42 is provided, whereby when the shaft I3 is held against rotation water will drain through opening 42 into the bottom of a tub 46 and be discharged through a drain conduit 41. It will now be apparent that the hydraulic counterweight described will function to achieve a compensating counterbalance despite variation in load within the container due to varying weights of clothes and amounts of water, since, with a greater load, the valve will remain open until an additional amount of water is supplied to the pocket or until a proper counterbalance is effected. Balance is achieved relatively quickly or in the early portion of the washing cycle, and due to the violent agitation, water is frequently lost from the container during the washing portion of the cycle which varies the container load. Under these conditions an over-correction or over-balance is effected by the hydraulic counterweight and an opening is effected between valve members I9 and 2| at the low side of the container and the machine will operate relatively rough, unless sufiicient water is discharged from the pocket to close the valve.

, result.

For this reason the hole 43 is provided which permits water to be discharged until the load is again properly balanced. The amount of water required to be discharged under these conditions is relatively small so that openin 43 is relatively minute and does not substantially effect normal functioning of the hydraulic counterweight, since any water lost through hole 43 would be supplied by a slight opening between the valve memhers I 9 and 2|.

As previously explained, the ideal point at which to direct the compensating pull by the hydraulic counterweight would be at the universal joint II, but because of practical design considerations, the flange 33 engages shaft l3 at a point spaced axially downwardly from universal joint II, which exerts a couple on shaft I3 tending to move the bottom of the shaft to the right as viewed in Fig. 1 and to compensate for this thrust we provide a counterweight 48 of fixed mass, which is secured to shaft l3 adjacent the base of the machine. Although counterweight 48 is of fixed mass and the lateral thrust at universal joint II and the compensating pull of the hydraulic counterweight may vary, the length of shaft 13 between flange 33 and counterweight 48 is so great, relative to the length of the couple arm, the distance between flange 33 and universal joint I I, that a counterweight such as 48 of a fixed mass accomplishes the desired In the event that the hydraulic counterweight was employed with a wobbling body wherein the hydraulic counterweight could be applied at a point where a couple would not be created, a counterweight such as 48 would not be necessary.

The valve comprising the elements l9 and 2| also functions to provide water to balancing pockets 49 spaced around the periphery of the container during spinning thereof, but this function constitutes no essential part Of the present invention.

It will now be understood that I have provided means in association with a clothes container or the like adapted to wobble at high speed and a valve adapted to supply water in response to the load carried by the container whereby vibration which would normally occur will be prevented or substantially minimized. Further, means for achieving this result are automatically adaptable to variations in load in the container.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a clothes. container or the like adapted to be wobbled at a predetermined speed, a vertical shaft connected to the container and mounted to permit limited swinging movement thereof in a conical path, valve means adapted to automatically open in accordance with shaft movement from a true vertical axis, and means for supplying liquid under pressure to the valve means, of a hollow arm adapted to rotate in phase with the wobbling action of the high side of the container, and means to direct liquid from the valve means to the hollow arm to counterbalance the swinging tendency of the shaft by the centrifugal force exerted by the rotating arm.

2. The combination as described in claim 1 and wherein the hollow arm is generally T shaped, and comprises a radially extending conduit communicating with a transversely extending enlarged pocket at its radially outer end.

3. The combination as described in claim 1 and wherein the liquid directing means comprises a catcher element having a pocket disposed rearwardly of the hollow arm relative to the direction of rotation of the arm to compensate for the time interval required for liquid to travel from the valve means to the catcher element, and a duct leading from said catcher element pocket to the hollow arm.

4. The combination as described in claim 1 and wherein the hollow arm is provided with a drain hole in the base thereof and radially inwardly of the liquid zone when the arm is rotating whereby liquid will drain from the arm when stationary.

5. The combination as described in claim 1 and wherein the hollow arm has a radially inward liquid entry port and a radially outward liquid exit port, the exit port being relatively small whereby when the valve means opens at the high side of the container liquid is supplied to the arm at a faster rate than it can be discharged from the exit port until the swinging tendency of the shaft is corrected, and when the valve means opens at the low side of the container due to changing load conditions therein thereby shutting oif the supply of liquid to the arm liquid continues to be discharged from the arm exit port until any swinging tendency of the shaft is substantially overcome.

RALPH L. ARCHBOLD.

No references cited. 

